Artfluence

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I’m convinced that much like one benefits from living in a city with a mix of cultures, peoples, classes, and ideas, an artist is only lifted up by immersion into different art forms than the one they are practicing. This isn’t new or revelational, but something I’ve thought about a lot lately as I record our new album with Rob and realize that several of the songs, or at the very least some of their lyrics, were inspired by books, comedy, or theater rather than other bands. The concept in one of our songs NeWest was inspired, in part, by … Keep goin’

Whoever tells the story writes history: Takeaways from the Op-Ed Project

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Photo from the Op-Ed project: the story we write becomes the world we live in

I have been doing something for the past few years that the day-long Op-Ed Project training warned me about. Something that, statistically, most women do. I grossly underestimated myself. I lowered my numbers. Introducing the Op-Ed Project In the day-long course I took on Friday in New York City — “Write to Change the World” — I learned a lot about credibility. About comfort levels in establishing your own expertise. The importance of knowing your value to others. How this all leads to influence, and this influence matters — particularly given some past grim statistics that editors receive about 90% … Keep goin’

New article published: Don’t yell at Grandma

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My article was just published just in time for that holiday dinner. Through the story of my 101-year old late aunt Yaya Frosou who lived most of her century in a Greek village (where my Dad was born), the op-ed explores the tricky maneuver of rejecting food at holiday/family gatherings *without* rejecting the person. I loved my Yaya Frosou — and also my aunts Patra and Katie, who took particular care to make traditional Greek dishes vegan for me from 2002 onward. In fact it was their loving acceptance (albeit with some good-natured questioning) that helped me learn how to … Keep goin’

How to find an absentee lot-lord

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Even before we moved into our home here in South Philly, we were happily greeted by our block captain, Courtney, with brochures on planting trees, recycling, and more. She told Rob and I about “cafe-ing” which is a South Philly thing where you pull out your camping chairs and sit on the sidewalk with neighbors. Almost every day, she picks up trash and advocates for the neighborhood and people. The (non-hostile) takeover A couple months ago Courtney, her partner Matt, and Rob and I decided to “take over” a trash-filled vacant lot down the street, planting flowers, installing fence posts, … Keep goin’